Bah! Humbug
by Educate the Masses
Summary: Beckett doesn't care for Christmas. In fact, she thinks that everyone who wishes "Merry Christmas" should be boiled in his own pudding and buried with a stake of holly through his heart. I don't own Castle or A Christmas Carol. Like you didn't know that.
1. Christmas Eve

**Christmas Eve**

Detective Kate Beckett walked into the twelfth precinct that morning just like it was any other morning. The captain had actually taken off for a few days of vacation with the family. Ryan and Esposito were working diligently at their desks, preferring to take their vacation around New Year's what with parties, dates and bowl games. Technically speaking, all of the detectives had the next day off, only some were on call for the inevitable and unfortunate event of peril for some poor soul.

Beckett was one of those "on call" detectives. She had just wrapped up a case the day before, so today would be paperwork unless a call came in, which being the holidays, wasn't unheard of. She would probably come in the next day as well. The only plans she had were with Lanie to go see "Sherlock Holmes."

Suddenly, a red and gold wrapped box appeared in front of Beckett. She looked at the gift with malice, her mouth set in a firm line. Esposito and Ryan looked up to see her reaction. Castle had obviously not listened to them when they said not to give her anything.

Castle sat down in his usual spot, his black winter coat hung over his arm and a sprig of holly in his lapel. "Merry Christmas, Detective. I figured since I won't be seeing you tonight, I would bring you your gift today. Alexis has something for you, but she wants to give it to you herself."

"You shouldn't have, Castle." She said in a monotone.

"Don't worry about getting me anything. I just wanted to get you something."

"I really mean you shouldn't have. I don't do Christmas, Castle."

"What do you mean, 'You don't do Christmas'? Don't you spend it with your dad?"

Beckett sighed, "He doesn't do Christmas either. He's actually on a cruise to Bermuda."

"So why can't you come to my Christmas Eve Party? I thought you were going to be with family."

"I'm not coming because I don't celebrate. What part of 'I don't do Christmas' do you not understand?" She stood abruptly and grabbed her mug. In the break room she took a deep breath. _I hate Christmas. Why is he being so dense about this?_

Castle stood in the doorway watching her. Her back was to him and he could see her hands gripping the counter. "I didn't mean to upset you. I get it. I still want you to have the gift I bought for you. If you don't want it as a Christmas gift, then consider it an early birthday gift."

"Castle, my birthday is in April."

"So it's a really early gift. I wish you would come tonight. I know you aren't in the mood to celebrate, but…Wait. What are you doing tomorrow?"

"Nothing. I'll probably come here. Lanie and I are going to the movies tomorrow night.

"Here? Ugh. You should come over. It'll be fun. Come spend the day with us."

"Yeah. That's just what I should do. Go over to your place, which is probably decorated extravagantly, and watch you and your family open presents and sing carols and eat…whatever you eat on Christmas. Thanks but I'd rather wait around for a body to drop."

"Scrooge."

"Christmas. Bah! Humbug."

Kate went back to her desk and was faced with the beautifully wrapped gift again. She picked it up and placed it to the side, attempting to go back to work.

"You're not going to open it?"

"I wasn't planning on it."

"Really? Because…" Castle paused, and stared at the back of Kate's shiny brunette hair for a few seconds, and walked softly up to her. He leaned over her shoulder, and she didn't dare move. "I know you hate the holiday, and I know why, but if you come to my place tomorrow, I bet I can make you like it again."

Kate rolled her eyes, "Really. You can make me like it again. Right. Sometimes, Castle, you are an arrogant ass."

"Well, let's make it interesting then. If I lose you get two shadow-free weeks of work. You pick the dates." Kate's eyebrows went up as she nodded her head.

"And if I lose?" She asked warily.

"You have to come to my New Years' Eve Party." His eyes twinkled. Castle had been looking forward to an excuse to kiss her and New Years' Eve was the perfect opportunity.

She looked up at him, eyes narrowed. "You're on. You're going down Castle. Start planning your vacation now."

"Be at my apartment at 10:30 in the morning." Castle walked towards the elevators, then he paused and turned around. "Oh, and Detective?" Kate looked up at him. "Dress casual. We sit on the floor a lot on Christmas Day."

All day Kate pondered Castle's last statement. _Do they play board games? Eat at the coffee table?_ When she wasn't thinking about why she would be sitting on the floor at Castle's tomorrow, she was sneaking glances at the gift on her desk.

At around four o'clock she stood up and stretched. Looking around, she realized she was the last detective on the floor. Gathering her things together, Kate decided to visit the morgue before she went home.

"Hey Lanie, how's it going?"

"Just wrapping it up, girl. My bag is packed. As soon as I can leave this place, I am off to catch the train to Jersey."

"Going to your parents' house?"

"Yep. My brother, his wife and his three children will be there too. I'm hoping that my visit will be so short that no one will comment on my singleness." Lanie finished up on the computer and turned to face Kate. Her eyes lit to the gift in Kate's hand. Only Castle would have been bold enough to give her a gift.

"I see writer-boy didn't get the memo about you and Christmas."

Kate rolled her eyes. "Not only that, he somehow conned me into spending tomorrow with him and his family. Said that he would make me like Christmas again."

"Well, if you end up in bed with him, I want details."

"Yeah, right." Kate smiled.

"So are you going to open the gift?"

"I don't know…I'm a little afraid of it. Knowing Castle, it's probably porn or some obscene sex toy."

"Well, let's find out! Open it girlfriend."

Kate set her coat and her bag down on the desk and went to work on the wrapping. Underneath the pretty paper and holiday ribbon was a red box. Lifting the lid, Kate paused.

"So? What is it?" Lanie asked, seeing her friend's hesitation.

Kate lifted a long, skinny, blue box out of the festive red one.

"Ooh, Tiffany's. If you don't hook up with this guy soon, I may have to."

Kate shot Lanie a look and lifted the lid of the blue box. She gasped and handed it to Lanie.

Lanie looked in the box and could not suppress her own gasp. She pulled out a stunning platinum bracelet with round diamonds and links connecting them. "Oh my God. Kate, this is beautiful."

"I can't keep it. I'm giving it back to him."

"Why? Just accept his gift, and enjoy it."

"It's too much, too expensive. I can't accept it." Kate grabbed the bracelet from Lanie, briefly enjoying the feel of it in her fingers. She placed it back in the box and put it in her purse. "I can't believe he did that. What is he thinking? Does he think he can buy me some expensive bauble and I'll just jump into bed with him? Some Christmas spirit!"

"Kate, maybe he just wanted to get you something nice. Return it if you need to, but I would cut him some slack on motive. Interrogate first, okay?"

"Fine. Look you better get going if you're going to make it to your parents' at a decent time. I'll see you tomorrow night, right?"

"Yeah, barring being held against my will by my family. If that happens, I'll demand my one phone call." Lanie gave Kate a hug and wished her luck for the next day.

"I do hope you have a Merry Christmas, Lanie."

On the way home it started to snow. The meteorologist was calling for a white Christmas, and it looked like he was right._ Great. Slick, icy roads for people to drive on, that's just what this city needs over a holiday weekend._ She couldn't help but notice the excitement on people's faces and the decorations everywhere, but it just made her feel worse. After ten years, you would think she would get over it, but it still hurt. Christmas was her mother's favorite holiday, and Kate couldn't do it without her.

Walking into her apartment, Kate took a deep breath. Finally, a place that did not remind her of Christmas. There were no decorations here. She did have a box of favorite ornaments and decorations in her storage locker in the basement, but she hasn't seen them in years. People would still send her Christmas cards. Some people who knew her well would send New Years' cards. They sat in a stack in the bottom drawer of her desk. She would open them after the New Year. Kate avoided the radio this time of year as well, although she could not go to any store without being bombarded by festive music. Luckily it was rare that she heard her mother's favorite: O Holy Night. Kate remembered the holiday concert in high school. Her mother had tears in her eyes when Kate sang the song.

Shaking the memories off, Beckett made her way back to her bedroom for her nightly ritual of washing off the day, and settling into something more comfortable. Kate reheated some chili that she made earlier in the week and decided she would have a Tom Clancy marathon. Grabbing a beer out of the fridge, she migrated from the kitchen to the sofa, movies lined up ready to go. Her eyes drifted to her purse. _Damn. There is one thing that reminds me of the holiday: Castle's gift._ She pulled the box out and opened it again. _It really is beautiful. What was he thinking?_ She just couldn't figure it out. Examining the bracelet she noticed the designer, and she knew it probably cost thousands. Goose bumps raised on her skin just thinking about it. Trying it on just to see how it looked, Kate knew she had to give it back.

After watching Alec Baldwin, Harrison Ford and Ben Affleck play Jack Ryan, Kate Beckett retired for the evening. She drifted to sleep watching the diamonds of the offending bracelet glitter in the moonlight. The snow had stopped, and the clouds had cleared. It was going to be a beautiful, white Christmas Day.


	2. The Ghost of Christmas Past

**Okay folks, this one is a bit short, but I had to end the chapter. I will update this (and Random Acts) as soon as I can. It's the holidays you know, and I do have three children.**

**The Ghost of Christmas Past**

Kate knew she was dreaming because she was able to see herself and still be present in the room. She was a small child, and it was a memory that flitted on the edges of her consciousness. The young Kate was hanging ornaments on the lower branches of a tall blue spruce. Then her father came around and hoisted the toddler up to place the angel on the top. Her mother snapped a picture. _I still have that picture and that angel. _Then she is sitting next to her mother on the couch, and Johanna Beckett placed a large, flat box on the young Kate's lap. She opened it and instantly squealed grabbing the stocking out of the box. It was beautiful with red and green velvet and creamy silk at the top; "Katherine" was embroidered there. It was one of the items in storage in her basement. Tears ran down her face in her dream and dampened her pillow as well.

She turned to look at the tree, and when she turned back the young Kate had grown a little. Young Kate was eleven and sitting in the corner of the couch reading Little Women by the light of the Christmas tree. Her mother came into the room wearing a deep red velvet sleeveless dress that descended to her ankles. There was a fur stole around her shoulders. She said, "Now Katherine, 'A Christmas Carol' with George C. Scott comes on in half an hour. You need to go to bed directly after that."

The younger Kate rolled her eyes, "Yes, mom." The older Kate smiled. _So that's what I look like when I roll my eyes._

Her father entered wearing a tux with a sprig of holly in his lapel. _I knew I had seen that before._ He leaned down to give Kate a kiss on the forehead. "Now don't let that Jo March be a bad influence on you, Kate." He winked at her. "Let's go Jo, while we're still just 'fashionably late.'" Her father gave them nicknames. Her mother called her Katherine always, but her father called her Kate to this day, and he always called her mother Jo. She watched them leave.

When Kate turned around, the room was full of people, some she recognized, some she didn't. She heard the front door open and watched as the younger Kate, now in college, came through the door. She had a suitcase in one hand and a shopping bag with presents in the other hand. "Katherine! You're home!" Her mother cried. She wrapped Kate in her arms.

"Hi, mom. Sorry I'm late." Kate took a good look at her younger self. Her hair was very long. She had an easy smile.

"How is Bobby? On his way to Pennsylvania?" Her mother queried about Kate's college boyfriend from Philadelphia.

"Yes." Kate blushed. "His train was late. That's why I'm late."

"Did you exchange gifts already?"

The younger Kate nodded. "He gave me these earrings, and an ornament for the tree." She showed her mom the earrings, a diamond with two rubies and an emerald dangling from it all in white gold.

"They're beautiful." Johanna Beckett commented.

"I don't think they're real, but I really like them." Kate found out later that they were real. Bobby Edwards came from money, and he spent a lot of it on Kate in college, until her mom was killed. That ended their courtship. No relationship could have survived that.

"They better not be real—that would mean he's expecting something!" Kate's dad bellowed cheerfully.

"Hi dad. Merry Christmas." She hugged her dad.

"Now let me take your bags to your room. Go get some eggnog, Kate. You should celebrate. Straight As first semester of freshman year is nothing to sneeze at."

"Thanks, dad." Kate followed her mother and her younger self to the kitchen.

"So, are you and Bobby serious?"

Kate nodded, "A little, I don't think we're, like, going to get married or anything, but we're exclusive."

"You're being careful right? And I don't just mean sexually. I don't want you to get hurt."

The younger Kate nodded. "I think so. I mean I know so _sexually_. But he's a good guy. He treats me well. We have some really interesting conversations. He's a Republican." Eye-rolling ensued, "So we have some really _animated_ discussions."

Her mother smiled at her and caressed her face. "I can't believe how much my baby has grown. I love you so much, Katherine. You have made my life extraordinary. I'm proud of you."

The younger Kate blushed again, "Thanks, mom." The older Kate wept. She followed them into the living room, but when she went through the doorway, the room was empty of guests.

There she was, ten years younger, sitting on the couch, staring off into space. There were no decorations. There were no gifts. Every invitation to celebrate was declined, and every greeting card discarded. She had the book, "Hell Hath no Fury" in her lap, but she wasn't reading. She was numb, waiting for her father to stumble through the door or to get a call from Steve, the local bartender, to come get him. Then suddenly she saw her mother. Kate knew she was a ghost, but she didn't have any ethereal qualities; she seemed to be really there. Johanna passed by the younger Kate, looking at the older. "Katherine," she said.

"Mom?"

"Katherine, you have to stop this."

"I did, mom. He's sober now." Kate misunderstood.

"I know what you did for your father, and I'm proud of you, but now you have to heal yourself. This is not what I want for you."

Kate choked, "I don't think I can. It hurts too much."

"Beauty can come from pain, Katherine. There is a dawn, a beautiful sunrise after the darkest night. You have forgotten how to hope, and that is what Christmas is about. Hope for the world. Hope for you. It's time to wake up." Johanna caressed her daughter's face one more time and then she and the room faded to darkness.

"Mom!" Kate shouted, sitting straight up in her bed. She broke down into sobs. Never before had she ever dreamed of her mother so vividly. She felt like she could still smell her there and feel her touch on her cheek. Getting a hold of herself, Kate looked at the time. It was nine o'clock in the morning. If she was going to make it to Castle's on time, she needed to get moving. A small part of her, deep inside her soul, rejoiced for the day, and in anticipation of seeing him, that small part pushed her out of bed.

Kate Beckett looked out her window to the snow covered ground below. It was Christmas Day.


	3. Christmas Day

**Christmas Day: Who needs the Ghost of Christmas Present?**

Steeling herself for what was sure to be an excess of "Christmas joy" at the Castle household, Kate knocked on the door at precisely half past ten. She was dressed casually, just as Castle suggested, wearing comfortable jeans and a long, red, cashmere sweater with a v-neck that wasn't too suggestive under her warm black coat. Boots were a requirement on a day like this, but she had more comfortable shoes in her bag.

The door opened to a bright, smiling Alexis Castle. Her hair was pulled back into a ponytail, and she was dressed similarly to Kate, but with a green shirt that brought out the best in her complexion. "Detective," she said stepping back from the door, "come in. I was told not to wish you a Merry Christmas, but I will anyway."

"Merry Christmas," Alexis stated with a twinkle in her eye giving her a hug.

Kate looked around the apartment, slightly surprised at the mildness of decoration. There was a tree, of course, that was beautifully decorated, but just a few gifts under it. Stockings were hung, and apparently filled by a jolly, old elf.

"Would you like some coffee?"

"Thanks, that would be great."

Alexis walked to the kitchen and pulled out a travel mug. "I would offer to take your coat, but we're about to leave."

Alexis let Kate fix her coffee the way she liked. "Where are we going?"

"I'm not allowed to say, but it's a tradition for us. Grams was totally not on board last year when we forced her to come along, but she's going willingly today." As if on cue, Castle walked out of his bedroom and Martha descended the stairs.

"Are we ready?" Castle clasped his hands together with a look of excitement. "Detective, you look lovely today. Let's go!"

"First, we need to talk, Castle. Your office—now."

"Yes, ma'am." He followed Kate into his office. "How can I help…?"

She whirled around on him and shoved a blue box into his chest. "I don't know what you were thinking, but I can't keep this."

"Why not?" Castle pouted. "It took me a long time to pick that out. I thought you would love it."

Kate took a deep breath, "It's beautiful; it's just too much. I can't accept it."

Castle held the box and studied her face, "Kate, there aren't any strings attached to this. I wrote a book; the main character was based on you. The book is doing really well. You aren't getting anything from that, and I think you deserve something nice for putting up with me all this time. That's all."

"Well, I appreciate that Castle, but I still can't accept it."

"It's yours, Kate. If you want to return it and…I don't know… give the money to charity, that's up to you. But the bracelet is yours." He placed the Tiffany's box on his desk. "However, I'm going to leave it here, because you shouldn't take it with you today. Let's go. I can't keep them waiting." Castle gathered his coat and ushered the three women out the door.

Twenty minutes later, the car pulled in front of The Bedford House, a shelter for abused women and their children in Brooklyn. Kate was curious as to what they were doing here, but she didn't think she had ever seen Castle so excited.

A middle-aged woman with graying red hair and wearing a loud Holiday sweater rushed out of the building. "Mr. Castle, right on time as always. Everything is ready in the dining hall." They walked into the building.

"Merry Christmas, Ms. Walker. We have fifteen mothers and thirty-eight children, correct?"

"Yes, we do. And they have absolutely no idea what's going to happen. I told them that I had an important visitor coming and I needed them all to go upstairs and get ready to come down when I call for them."

The group walked into the dining hall and Kate sucked in her breath. The room was beautifully decorated, with a large throne-like chair in the middle and a popular Christmas elf (who was usually quite busy on this day) sitting in it. Mr. Claus was surrounded by bags and bags of gifts.

Beckett leaned into Alexis, "What's going on?"

"My dad has a soft spot for single moms. So five years ago, my dad ran across a woman who was being abused by her boyfriend. She told him that her boyfriend said he would hunt her down and kill her and her daughter if she ever left him. Dad found this place for her and helped her leave him. They were still here a month later when Christmas rolled around, so dad contacted Mrs. Walker and asked what he could do. It turned into this." Alexis smiled proudly at her father who was making sure everything was ready.

"So every year, he hires Santa, buys gifts and spends Christmas here?"

"The same Santa every year. He's the best one. And dad doesn't just do gifts; he has Mrs. Walker gather letters to Santa. He wants to make dreams come true. Last year Mrs. Walker called at two o'clock Christmas Eve afternoon, very upset, saying that she had another mother and her five year old son come in that morning. She didn't know how we could make this work for them. Dad immediately cancelled his Christmas Eve party, wrote down the specifics for the mother and child, and out we went to make Christmas happen for them."

Kate watched Castle with a different perspective. _I guess he isn't always a twelve year old. _Turning back to Alexis, she asks, "So, how long do you usually stay?"

"We pass out the gifts, play with the children, and talk to the moms. Then, we have dinner at around twelve. Dad takes care of that too. We usually end up leaving by two o'clock or so. Why? Do you have somewhere to be?"

"No, I was just curious. Maybe I'll write a book." Kate cut her eyes over to Alexis who rolled hers.

"_Please_, spare me. I can only handle one writer." Kate and Alexis made their way towards Santa as they saw Castle walking that way.

"Mr. Kringle," Castle exclaimed, "It's so good to see you again." Rick leaned over to shake his hand.

"Ricky, my boy, good to see you too. I have something for you that I forgot to leave at your place." Santa reached into his pocked and pulled out a small green felt bag. He handed it to Rick.

"What's this?" Rick opened the drawstring and a chunk of black coal fell into his hand. "Why?"

"If you have to ask, you should consult with Katherine Beckett behind you. She knows exactly why you've been bad this year." Santa teased him with sparkling eyes.

"Cute trick, Castle." Kate replied.

"I didn't tell him you were coming." Castle turned to Ms. Walker. "Let's not keep them waiting, shall we?"

Mrs. Walker radioed to her staff to let the mothers and children come down stairs. They could hear them coming, but it wasn't the rush of children's feet that you would normally hear on Christmas Day. The children came down quietly, behind their mothers, unsure of what to expect. When they saw Santa, they smiled shyly and waved. He waved back.

That's when the magic started to happen. Kate planned on sitting back and watching, but there was so much to be done, she had to participate. They had gifts and stockings to pass out for every child. They also had gifts for the mothers. One mother there had two daughters; they barely spoke English. They were Russian. Santa looked at Kate knowingly and handed their gifts and stockings to her to distribute.

"Anya?" Kate asked. The young mother nodded. "These are for you, Katerina, and Sveta. Merry Christmas."

"No much English." Anya responded, shaking her head.

"Это для вас. С Рождеством Христовым." Kate repeated her words in Russian. Anya and her girls lit up. She sat on the floor with them and they talked for ten minutes. Anya, Katerina and Sveta were just happy to have someone that could talk to them. At one point, Kate looked up and caught Castle's eye. She smiled at him and nodded slightly with approval. Watching her girls open their gifts, seeing the joy on their faces, Anya's face beamed. _Everything is good for her today. She can see hope for the future. Castle did this?_

Kate marveled at the room. Every child and mother was smiling, some with tears in their eyes. Alexis, Castle and even Martha was sitting on the floor, dressing dolls, building with Lego blocks or simply talking. It was nothing like what Kate expected. Watching Castle with a little boy building a tower, she felt warmth spread through her.

_Drat! How does he do it? I can't be mad at him; he always weasels himself back in._

Later, after a delicious Christmas dinner, Kate was putting on her coat as they were getting ready to leave. Katerina and Sveta came up to her carrying a picture of Santa Claus they had colored in crayon. "Спасибо," they said hugging her legs.

"You're welcome." Kate replied, laying a hand on each head. "Merry Christmas, Katerina. Merry Christmas, Sveta." She swallowed the lump in her throat as she watched them return to their mother.

When they were back in the car, Castle looked over at her. "So?" He queried. "What did you think?"

Holding on to her drawing and looking out the window, Kate nodded, "It was good."

"We're not through." Castle stated. "Do you have time?"

This was her out. She could leave and return to her non-Christmas day. But her heart spoke before her brain could intervene. "Yes," she said. "I have time."


	4. Tiny Tim Remixed

**A long time coming, and I know you thought I abandoned it, but this chapter was difficult to write. The next couple should come faster. Thanks for hanging in there with me! **

**Tiny Tim Remixed**

They pulled up to the New York Presbyterian Children's Hospital. Kate stepped out of the car with Castle and Alexis. Martha was returning home, claiming exhaustion from the previous endeavor. Castle had a shopping bag of gifts in his hand.

"Somehow, I don't think that's going to be enough to make dreams come true for all of these children, Castle."

"Not making dreams come true, today, Detective. Just keeping a promise." She heard the sadness in his voice.

Dropping back as they entered the hospital, Kate sidled up to Alexis, "Is this another tradition?"

"No." Alexis said, shaking her head, "This is a first and probably a last." Alexis' somber demeanor did not go unnoticed.

"What's going on, Castle?"

Castle stopped. "I'm not sure this is the best step for me to take. I promised you a day that would make you love Christmas again—"

"I've had a great day--"

"This next part…I have to do it. I made a promise, and I intend to keep it. But you don't have to come. I mean I would like for you to be there with me, but, well, it's your decision."

"Of course it's my decision." She smiled at him. "I'd like to come if you're okay with that."

They hopped on the elevator and rode to the twelfth floor. When the doors opened the word "ONCOLOGY" popped out at them. Castle knew exactly where he was going.

He walked directly to a room and stopped in the doorway. There was a young girl asleep on the bed under a red and white rag quilt with a Christmas motif. She was obviously a cancer patient, a polar fleece Santa hat sitting loosely on her head revealing her name: Nicole. A woman, presumably her mother, was reading a book in the chair next to her, and there was two carts in the room holding what had been the contents of the room. He had been there all of five seconds before the woman looked up at them and smiled. She closed her book and moved to meet them in the hallway.

"Merry Christmas, Rick, Alexis," she said, hugging them both. "She wouldn't even let me take the things to the car until you arrived. It's a good thing you came."

Rick smiled warmly, "Merry Christmas, Amy. I wouldn't miss this for the world." He stepped back and put his hand on Kate's arm. "Amy this is Detective Kate Beckett."

"Kate, Amy Collier. Amy and I graduated from high school together." Amy Collier had the look of someone who would have gone to school with Rick Castle. She was average height, but had beautiful blond hair and clear blue eyes. She was wearing a cashmere red sweater and jeans; the woman exuded class.

"Nice to meet you, Amy."

"The pleasure's all mine, really." Amy beamed. "Nicole is going to flip out when she meets you. Just warning you."

"I'm sorry?" Kate was confused.

"You're the inspiration for Nikki Heat, right? She's going to be so excited." Amy turned to Rick. "This is a surprise."

Rick looked sheepish. "Honestly, I forgot about that. Kate is, well, spending the day with us, but it was a last minute thing. I think I may have inadvertently overshadowed my gifts with her presence."

"How is she doing today?"

"She's having a good day. Very excited to go home. Can't wait to see the dogs and Ryan. Christmas is waiting for her."

"So she's better?" Kate asked.

Amy glanced at Rick who shook his head. "Sorry, I didn't give her the 4-1-1."

Amy smiled sadly at Kate, "Nicole is…done with treatment. There isn't anything more they can do. So she wants to go home, today."

Kate understood Castle's reluctance to bring her now. And he was probably right. She remembered her mother's spirit in her dream. _Christmas is about hope._ And yet, this woman, her child, they had no hope. That was their Christmas present. She wanted to run, to go home and climb back into her bed. The fact that Castle was going to have to stay away for two weeks was no comfort.

Castle watched the emotions flicker in Kate's eyes. He could only imagine what she was thinking. His thoughts were interrupted by the chirpish squeal of a six year old girl.

"Rick!" Nicole's eyes were the same beautiful bright blue as her mother's and twinkled at the sight of her guest.

"Nicole!" Rick walked quickly to her bedside, everyone else completely forgotten. "Merry Christmas, sweetie." He leaned down and gave her a gentle hug, then he lifted the Santa hat and planted a tender kiss on the child's bald head.

"I brought you presents." Castle waggled his eyebrows and she giggled. "But before you tear into them I want you to meet someone. I don't know how long she can stay, but I know you want to say, 'Hi.' Kate?"

Kate entered the room slowly, a tentative smile on her face.

"Detective Kate Beckett—Nicole Collier."

"Oh my gosh!" The girl's cheeks flushed. "I can't believe it! This is so cool."

Kate held out her hand. "It's nice to meet you, Nicole."

Nicole looked up at Kate and smiled the brightest smile, shaking her hand. "Oh my gosh."

Castle couldn't help but glow at the situation. He had forgotten how obsessed Nicole had been with Detective Beckett. He knew that he probably lost the bet with Beckett, but at the moment seeing the look on Nicole's face, it didn't matter.

"Will you take a picture with me?" Nicole asked Kate.

"A picture? I…uh…Sure." Kate looked at Castle.

"Mom. Get my camera!" Nicole slid over on the bed and patted the spot next to her. "You sit here, Detective Beckett."

"Okay." Kate pressed her lips together to keep from chuckling at the girl. "You can call me Kate."

"Kate." Nicole said softly. Looking up she glimpsed red hair at the door way. "Alexis, hi! Merry Christmas!" The small girl held her arms open to the teenager who tenderly responded.

"Merry Christmas to you, Nicole!"

"Ok, are you ready?" Amy asked.

Alexis and Castle backed away from the bed. Kate put her arm around Nicole and leaned in, smiling.

"Cheese!" Nicole sing-songed. A flash and then it was over. "Let me see. Let me see…please." Her arms outstretched to receive the camera. "Oh! It's a good one. Can you go print it? Please?"

"Sure." Her mother smiled.

"Make three copies."

"Three? Why so many?"

"One for me, one for Kate and one for Rick."

"Me? Why do I get one?" Rick teased her.

"You have to have a picture of your two inspirations for Nikki Heat."

Kate looked at him, surprised again.

"You are absolutely right." Castle conceded. "Will you autograph it for me?"

"I will. I'm not sure about my friend, Kate, here."

"Sure. An autograph. I guess I can do that." Kate couldn't help but smile. "So you're the beautiful girl he named Nikki Heat after."

"You figured it out! Wow! You are a good detective." The child remarked.

"Thank you." Kate grinned.

"I'll just go print these and I'll be right back." Amy walked to the door.

"I'll go with you." Alexis was much more interested in electronics than hearing the story she had already heard one hundred times again.

"Last Spring, when I was going through chemo, Rick would come in and keep me company. He told me all about you. How you were this great detective and he had to come up with a good name for his character. I said Amy or Alexis. He said Nicole, because I was strong too. So then he said, 'Nikki Heat!' Short for 'Nicole Heather.'" Nicole beamed.

Kate looked over at Rick who seemed to be fascinated by something outside. Kate was almost convinced, but she saw the crease in his brow. He looked back and caught Kate's eyes before she quickly looked away. "I need some hot cocoa. How about you?"

Nicole nodded.

"The hot chocolate here is not bad for a hospital. Would you like some Kate?"

"Sure." Kate felt a little unsure about the situation though. It looked like Castle was about to leave her alone with this sick little girl that she hardly knew. And then he did.

"I'll be right back."

"So, Nicole, what do you like to do?"

"Read, mostly. I'll read just about anything. Mom won't let me read Rick's books though. Says that would be hugely inappropriate." She rolled her eyes for emphasis. "But she told me some of the stories from the book. Your character sounds really cool."

"She was, wasn't she?"

"Uh huh."

"So, how long have you and Rick been friends?" She was expecting a "my whole life" answer, but again, Kate was surprised.

"A couple of years. Since he gave me bone marrow."

"Rick was your bone marrow donor?"

"You didn't know?"

"No. That's kind of crazy, right? That your mom's friend was a match?"

"Well, I don't think they were friends before. It was kind of like, we have a match, and then they wanted to meet. He was here in New York, so we met. That was when she realized who it was and that they went to high school together. Weird, huh?"

"Yeah. Weird." Kate's brow creased involuntarily as she thought about the man she thought she knew. "So it didn't work?"

"It worked for a little while, but then the leukemia came back. Rick offered to donate more marrow. But my kidneys are shot, and they don't think I could handle another round of chemo. Rick offered me one of his kidneys, but it isn't a good fit and they don't really think I could handle the anti-rejection drugs." Nicole was only six years old, but had the medical vocabulary of someone much older. "I told my mom it was time to stop."

"You're a brave girl."

"I'm not afraid to die. My biggest worry is how sad everyone's going to be. I don't want them to be sad. I'm not." Kate watched this young girl and wondered how this creature came to be. "I always knew I wouldn't grow up. I never made plans. This is what was meant to be. I can't wait to get to heaven. It's going to be so great there."

Alexis and Amy came into the room at that moment. Alexis' eyes were rimmed with red. Kate realized they were probably outside of the room listening. "Okay, here are your pictures." Amy laid them on the bed in front of Nicole. "Where's Rick?"

At that moment, he returned carrying a tray of hot chocolates. "Cocoa for everyone. Oh good, the pictures are back. Have you autographed mine yet? I want it to say, 'To Rick, if only I were thirty years older…'"

The females in the room all rolled their eyes as they sipped the cocoa. Nicole pulled the bedside tray to her and grabbed a Sharpie. She signed two of the pictures and held the marker out to Kate. Kate grabbed the unsigned picture and sat in the window to autograph it. "To Nicole, Whose bravery inspires Nikki Heat. Kate Beckett"

After she returned the photo to Nicole, she took the one that Nicole had signed to Rick, and signed it herself.

"Oh, wait!" Castle exclaimed. "I can't believe it. You haven't opened your presents yet! We've been here like an hour already, and no unwrapping. You have to get home. So, open!"

"Okay, okay…Jeez, you'd think they were your presents."

The first gift Nicole opened from him was an exquisitely carved chess set. "Oh! Rick! It's beautiful! Now I don't have to play with that babyish plastic one that has the symbols on it that tell you how the pieces move. Ugh!" She fingered the smooth wood. "I can't wait to use it. Thank you."

"You're welcome, sweetie. I have just one request."

"Shoot."

"Bang!" The girl giggled reminding everyone in the room of her age. "When I play you in chess we have to use the babyish plastic one that tells you how to play. Otherwise, I'll be completely lost." He teased her, knowing that he was pretty good at the game, but teaching her some pretty decent strategies as well.

"Deal." She said, winking at him.

The next gift she opened was significantly smaller. Kate recognized the red box and then the blue box inside.

"Rick, what did you do?" Amy scolded him prematurely for his extravagant gift.

"Chill out, Amy." Castle leaned in and whispered in her ear. "I know she's six. The chess game was more expensive."

The gift was a puffed silver heart with NCH engraved on it. "Wow. Finally, I have something from Tiffany's." Her smile lit up her face. "And it has my initials on it! I'm never going to take it off." Nicole pulled the pendant from the box and Amy came around to clasp it around her neck.

"Thank you, so much, Rick."

"There's one more thing."

"Rick, really, you shouldn't have." Amy implored.

"This one didn't cost me anything, I swear. Just a little brain power and I called in a favor that's all." He pulled out a flat box that looked like it held men's stationary. "I wrote something for you."

Nicole's eyes glittered with delight as she tore open the paper and lifted the lid.

"Oh. My. Gosh! You wrote a comic book! A Nikki Heat comic book! Oh my gosh!"

"Just for you." Rick looked over at Amy. "It's PG. Promise."

Alexis chimed in, "I made sure."

Beckett made her way to Nicole's bedside. It was an actual comic book. Rick was no artist, she was sure of that, but it was her in the comic as Nikki Heat. And he was Rook. No doubt about it. And from what she could tell it looked good. She would have to ask him about the artist later.

"You want to read it with me?" Nicole looked up at her.

"What time do you have to go?" Kate looked to Amy.

"We have a little time. Go ahead."

"Well, since you seem to have the ONLY copy. Do you mind if I read over your shoulder?"

"Can you read it out loud? Reading silently together drives me bonkers. You never know when someone's finished or if you're holding them up…"

"Understood. Alrighty then. Let's begin…"

Kate read the comic to Nicole for thirty minutes. Her phone vibrated and she thought her luck had run out, or rather someone else's had. She forgot about the movie plans with Lanie.

Reluctantly, Kate said goodbye to Nicole, giving her a business card with her personal phone number and email address. "You are the strongest, bravest girl I know, and I know a lot of girls." Kate hugged her and swallowed the lump developing in her throat. "Keep in touch, okay? I want to know how that comic ends."

"Okay. I'll call you." Nicole's eyes twinkled. "This has been the best day. Thanks for coming."

"It was an absolute pleasure."

"I'll walk you down," Rick placed a hand at the small of her back and headed out of the room. "Be right back."

The elevator ride to the lobby was silent. Finally, when they were standing in the alcove, waiting on a cab, Rick spoke. "I should have told you about her before bringing you here. It must have been a shock. Mother knew she couldn't take it and so she went home. I should have given you that option. I'm sorry."

"You're right. If you had told me about her before we came, I probably would have left." She paused, "And it would have been my loss. She's an amazing girl."

"I know, right?"

Kate turned to face him, her expression serious. "Two hours ago I was sure you lost the bet. Now I haven't decided. I'm not sure about how I feel about future Christmases. I'll have to think about it and get back to you tomorrow. But what I can tell you is that I will remember today as long as I live. And it's a good memory."

As the car pulled up, Kate leaned in and kissed Castle on the cheek. She lingered there a little longer than necessary, surprised by the flutter in her stomach. "Good night, Castle, and thank you."

Kate slid into the cab and disappeared into the Christmas traffic.

"Christmas day isn't over yet, Kate." Castle murmured to himself.


	5. Bah! Humbug? Never Again

**Okay I think this is it for this story. It's a long chapter, but it wraps it up nicely I think. I'm sure y'all will let me know if it doesn't. I'm happy to put a story to bed. Thanks for reading.**

**Bah! Humbug? Never Again**

On the way back from the movies and a quick dinner, Kate and Lanie headed to Kate's to have a glass of wine and talk. When they arrived at her building, Kate couldn't find her keys. She had them in her coat when she got to Castle's, but she couldn't find them now.

"Lanie, do you have the key to my place on you? I seem to have left them somewhere..."

"Somewhere? Like where?"

"They were in my coat. Either they fell out of my pocket in the car or at one of the places we were at today. I'll call Castle tomorrow and see if he found them."

"I don't think I have your key on me. Let me check."

"I'll just ring the super. He'll let me in."

As the building super came to the door to let them in, he handed Kate her keys. "A very nice man came by and dropped off your keys. Said you left them in his car?"

"He came here?"

"Yes. Very nice man, Miss Beckett. Tipped me for making sure you got them, but I told him he didn't have to. He said, 'Merry Christmas.'"

"Thanks, Mr. Garcia."

"No problem, Miss Beckett. Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas." It came out before she could even think about it. Lanie looked at her in shock.

"Girl, you just said 'Merry Christmas.' To someone other than me."

"Honestly, I think it's like the fifth time I've said it today."

"He did it. He made you like Christmas again."

Kate smiled slightly. "I wouldn't go that far, Lanie. I won't deny that I enjoyed my day," Kate stuck the key in her door and turned it, "But I wouldn't go so far as to say 'I like Christmas.'"

They walked in the door and stopped. "Oh!" They said in unison. Apparently, before Castle left the key with Mr. Garcia, he spent some time in Kate's apartment.

"I'll kill him! The gall. Who does he think he his?" Kate fumed.

It wasn't like he put up a tree and hung garland from everything. In fact, the decorations would have looked sparse to anyone else, but considering Kate had nothing in her apartment to remind her of Christmas before, the few things that were there stood out. That, and the fact that Castle had been in her apartment without her permission or knowledge.

There was a red envelope on the floor as they walked in. Kate picked it up. On the outside it said, "Please don't be mad. Open Me!"

There was a card inside. When she pulled it out, some confetti snow fluttered down on the floor in front of her. "Great." She was not impressed.

It was a plain white card with Richard Castle's classic scrawl on it:

_Detective,_

_I know you are upset with me right now, but you left before Alexis and I had the opportunity to give you your gifts. I give you my word that I did not snoop (tempting though it was); I just wanted you to have these things before the day was over. I left your gifts are on the coffee table. I hope you can forgive the imposition and what I did to your ficus._

_RC_

Lanie read the card over her shoulder. "Ah, now girl you have to admit it's sweet."

"I'll admit nothing...look at my poor ficus." Castle had wrapped a strand of white lights around the trunk up into the leaves. As she approached the tree, she noticed something else: an angel. It was a beautiful porcelain angel that went on top of a Christmas tree and it was now wedged onto her tree.

"Wow, that's beautiful." Lanie exclaimed. Kate nodded. She thought about the angel in the storage locker. This one was different. Kate could tell by looking at it that it was expensive, but the thought was sweet. She wondered what he would have done if she hadn't owned the tree. She turned to the coffee table and was taken by surprise at what she saw.

Kate was expecting to see the Tiffany's box and maybe a gift from Alexis, but she found three beautifully wrapped gifts. The Tiffany's box was there, but it was sticking out of a black leather Christmas stocking with a Burberry plaid cuff. "Beckett" was embroidered on the cuff in black. Again Kate's thoughts were drawn to her old stocking. This one was completely different than anything she had ever seen before. It was classy and grown up and…leather. The grin that spread across her face was involuntary. Castle was redefining Christmas for her, whether he knew it or not.

"I need wine to deal with this." Kate looked at Lanie. "Still want a glass?"

"Absolutely. I think I need a glass of wine to deal with this. You still mad at him?"

Kate shook her head slightly. "He shouldn't have done it. Technically I could have him arrested for trespassing. But I'm thinking of letting this slide with a warning."

They walked into the kitchen and there was another surprise. A beautiful gingerbread house sat on the counter and the Santa Clause coloring by Sveta and Katerina was magnetically attached to the refrigerator.

"Nice picture," Lanie commented, "but I would have thought Alexis to be a better artist."

Kate smiled, "Alexis didn't do this. Two Russian girls at the Bedford House drew this for me. I spent most of my time there with them because they didn't speak much English."

As Kate poured wine into two glasses, Lanie ventured into somewhat dangerous territory. "Can I ask you a question?"

"Shoot." Kate smiled again as she thought of Castle's 'Bang' to Nicole earlier.

"From what I can gather, Castle took you to a shelter for abused women and children for Christmas dinner and the children's hospital to visit a little girl dying from Leukemia as a way to try to win you over for Christmas, and it seems to have worked. He gave you an expensive bracelet yesterday that made you angry, and yet today he broke into your apartment and gave you decorations and presents, you're smiling. What happened today that changed your mind?"

Kate sipped her wine and thought as they made their way back to the living room and sat on the sofa. "This morning I had laid out in my mind exactly what I thought Castle would do to try to woo me for Christmas. I imagined his lavishly decorated apartment with lots of gifts, Christmas carols, and a traditional Christmas dinner, after which I would tell him that I still didn't 'do' Christmas and he would give me two Castle-free weeks of work." Kate thought for a second. _The Christmas Eve party._

"Lanie, did Esposito go to Castle's Christmas Eve party last night?" Kate knew full well that he did.

"Sure did. And he tweeted pics too. The man sure can throw a party."

"The decorations?"

"Like you said, lavish, almost to the point of gaudy. If gaudy is possible at Christmas."

"And yet this morning when I got there, the tree was the only thing up and the mantle was decorated. Stockings were hanging, but definitely nothing close to gaudy or lavish."

"The man knows you well, Kate."

"That's part of it. It's like the stocking." She touched the leather to make sure it wasn't an illusion. "I always thought Christmas was the decorations, parties, food, presents, the traditions, the things that reminded me of my mother. She loved Christmas, but I can't handle much of that without feeling the pain of missing her. I guess I'm realizing that Christmas doesn't have to be what it was, but it can be something new. It's time for new memories and traditions. Funny thing is, that women's and children's shelter today, that was already a tradition for Castle. And Nicole? Castle already had that set up as well; in fact, he worried that it might not be the right choice to take me there."

"Sounds like he won you over for more than Christmas." Lanie laughed quietly.

"Maybe..." Kate said softly before taking a sip of wine.

"So, what are you planning to do with these?" Lanie motioned to the gifts and stocking on the table. Yesterday, Kate would have returned them or thrown them out. She would have at least waited until the New Year to open them.

Kate took a small, flat box from the stack of gifts. She held it in her hands. The strangest feeling, almost like nervousness, came over her. "I don't know. It's been so long since I've had gifts on Christmas. And yesterday, I would have expected grandiose or slutty gifts from Castle. But after today, I'm really curious as to what's in them. And, of course, I can't disappoint Alexis."

Lanie downed the rest of her wine. "I think you should invite Writer Boy over and open the gifts with him."

"Oh, Lanie. No—"

"Please, girlfriend, it's really the only way to end the evening. And you might get more out of it than just the gifts."

"Oh, please," Kate rolled her eyes.

"Well, do whatever you want. I'm leaving. Christmas Day will be over in an hour and I turn back into a M.E. at midnight." Kate chuckled.

"Thanks for going with me, Lanie." Kate walked her to the door.

"No problem, girl. Now call the man and invite him over."

"Lanie, it's eleven o'clock at night. Christmas night. He's probably sleeping or spending time with his family."

Lanie opened the door, "Girl, you just don't get it. You could call him at three in the morning from Timbuktu and that man would come to you."

Kate blushed. She glanced up and then leaned in and gave Lanie a kiss on the cheek.

"What was that for?"

Kate's eyes looked up again and Lanie's followed. Mistletoe. "He has really messed with your brain today. Goodnight. I want details tomorrow."

After Lanie left, Kate pulled out her cell phone. She couldn't call him, there's no way she could actually _ask_ him to come over. But texting…

_Castle, you need to get your ass over here and explain yourself before I have you arrested for trespassing. The deal expires at midnight._

She hoped it sounded serious, that he wouldn't see right through her motives. He didn't disappoint. At 11:51 PM the buzzer sounded to her apartment. She let him in and she halted in the entryway. When she turned around he froze. Kate had her gun in her right hand and her cuffs in her left.

"You've really outdone yourself this time Castle." She shook her head. "I mean, you had me going, I was really enjoying my day. Really, the whole day, I was quite surprised." Kate began pointing with her weapon. "I even thought it was sweet that you returned my keys. Just imagine my surprise…I open the door, and this is my vision." She used her weapon to point in the direction of the ficus.

Not quite willing to let up yet, and taking advantage of his silence, she moved into the kitchen. "I'm sure your prints are all over this, Castle. I could arrest you for stalking, I bet. I'm thinking of having CSU come in and dust the place to see where exactly you were…"

Castle suddenly found his voice. "Kate, I swear, we didn't go in your bedroom or your bathroom—"

"We? You had an accomplice?"

"Well, Alexis helped."

"What kind of dad are you? Bringing your child along to help you commit a crime?"

"A crime? Kate really…"

She started to feel bad for him. She could tell he was really starting to sweat it when she put Alexis together with crime. Kate put the gun and cuffs on the counter and let the corners of her mouth turn up a little. She looked at him.

"You're joking? You're joking. Well, at least you're making light of it. I'm going to tell mother she's got some competition in the acting department." He took a deep breath. "You just about gave me a heart attack."

"You really shouldn't have come in." Kate admonished. "You're lucky I had a good day, or I really would be arresting you. I probably would have let Alexis off though, since Universities generally frown upon prospective applicants that have criminal records."

"You had a good day?" Castle seemed pleased with himself. "Does that mean I win?"

"I'm not conceding yet, Castle. You have to understand where I'm coming from. Today was good, no denying it, but am I looking forward to Christmas next year? I'm not so sure."

Castle sighed in defeat. "Well, I gave it everything I had, Detective. So I guess I won't be seeing you for two weeks."

"You're giving up?"

"Sounded like you made up your mind."

"Since when is that enough for you?"

Castle smiled slightly and shook his head. "I really do have you thinking I don't take anything seriously don't I? When I made this bet with you, I wasn't joking. It bothers me that this holiday is so bad for you. But, if after this day, you still don't do Christmas, I'll respect that. Next year, I promise not to give you a gift."

"Castle, I didn't say that." She took a deep breath and exhaled. "The day was great. Nothing like what I was expecting."

"What were you expecting?"

"Overdone, traditional Christmas cheer with the usual Castle flair."

"That's what Christmas Eve is about, detective. Christmas Day is about giving back. That is the current Castle tradition."

Kate nodded. "So I come home from this unexpected day, and my first sight when I walk through the door is…my poor ficus. All lit up with Christmas lights. Now I knew it was you, because you returned my keys to Mr. Garcia. Lanie was with me, and all I could think was 'I'm gonna kill him.'" She touched the corner of the crayon drawing on the refrigerator. It was probably her favorite memento of the day, and she couldn't help but think it might stay on her refrigerator for a long time.

"Even though you brought back my picture from Sveta and Katerina, which I am totally grateful for, the gingerbread house is overkill. Cute, but a little much, which makes me think that Alexis was the culprit there."

"Kate…Beckett…" He took a step towards her.

She held up her hand. "Let me finish. I read your note, but now I have confetti snow on my carpet." Kate walked towards the ficus. "Then I noticed the angel on the tree. You know I have a box of decorations in the basement. The angel we used to have on our tree when I was growing up is down there."

"I didn't mean to replace…"

"I'm glad you did. This one is totally different. She's beautiful, but she's nothing like the other one." Kate turned and gestured towards the stack of gifts on the coffee table. "Then I saw those." She felt a flutter of nervousness in her stomach. "Do you know how long it's been since I've gotten a Christmas present? From someone who knows me?"

Rick shook his head.

"Before yesterday, it's been over five years. That's how good I've been at getting my message across to people about how I feel. Even Will didn't try to influence it. He was, of course, with his family for a whole week, which made me think about it, but he didn't try to change anything.

"Then I meet the notorious Richard Castle, and low and behold, there's a stocking with my name and a stack of gifts in my living room."

She sat down on the sofa, looking at the gifts. Castle's expression was oblivious. He looked like he might bolt for the door at any second. "Are you going to open them, or do I need to take them with me?"

"Lanie said I should open them with you. That way if there's anything inappropriate, I can kill you here, and she'll come back to help me hide your body." She smiled to set him at ease, and it worked.

"You wish, detective. I think you'll be disappointed that you don't get to kill me just yet." He turned his suggestive smirk to her as he sat next to her on the sofa, "Although, I'm sure it would be a pleasure to have you torture me."

"Don't ruin it Castle. You were on your way to having an extra guest at your New Year's Eve party. Instead, you may find yourself on an extended vacation." She looked at him, inches away from her, and glanced at the gifts, "So which one do I open first?"

"What do you want to open first?"

"I think I'll ease into this with one that doesn't require unwrapping anything." She reached for the stocking. Holding it in her hands, she fingered the embroidery with "Beckett" on it. "This was not something you did yesterday."

"No. I know a woman who makes stockings. Every year I buy a new one from her for someone. I saw that one and I knew it was for you. Classy with a little kick-ass mixed in."

She blushed. "The only other stocking I have ever owned was given to me by my mother. It was very traditional. This is…me…now. Thanks, Castle." She pulled out the Tiffany's box, and set it on the table. Then she dumped out the rest of the stocking next to it. There was a large, hand-pulled candy cane, a big bag of gummy bears, a new iPod Shuffle, and a pair of tickets to Martha's broadway show on opening night.

Immediately, Kate stood and started pacing back and forth. "It's too much, Castle."

"I already explained to you what I was thinking. Beckett, I really just wanted to thank you. If it makes you feel any better, the tickets are from mother. And they were comped, so there was absolutely nothing I did for them."

She shook her head. That wasn't what she meant of course. The feeling inside her was overwhelming. The gifts were nice. She was a little surprised that there wasn't a red lacey thong in there or fur handcuffs, and in fact that might have made this a little easier. Right now, she was opening Christmas presents with Richard Castle. _Shit! How the hell did I get here? It wasn't supposed to happen this way. I knew it wouldn't happen this way. And here he is, with abused women and children, and a sick little girl who he gave bone marrow to, giving me thoughtful gifts. How do I do this?_

She started to laugh. Really hard. In fact, she was laughing so hard she had to sit on the floor. As soon as she started to calm down, her eyes took in Castle's surprised face and she started up again, this time just shaking with tears running down her face, no sound coming from her. Finally she gasped for air, wiping the tears away. "Oh, God, my head hurts."

Castle came around and sat on the floor with her, "Kate," he couldn't call her Beckett when she was sitting on the floor, "I'm sorry. I didn't realize how hard this would be. I'll go." As he started to get up, her hand shot out and grabbed his arm.

"Stay. I'm going to open the rest of the gifts and I want you to stay while I do it." Regaining her composure, Kate grabbed the next box, which Castle took from her.

"You're not ready for this one." He handed her the large box. "This is from Alexis."

Looking at him warily, she tore open the paper over the box. "She worked really hard on it. It has taken her forever."

She opened the box and found a beautiful, red, hand knitted afghan. "Wow." A crease formed between Kate's brows. "It's beautiful. She made this?"

"There's a knitting club at her school, and apparently it's the 'in' thing to do. It has taken her months to complete."

"That's so sweet. I'll have to…"

Kate pulled out her phone and texted Alexis. _Thank you, it's beautiful. Merry Christmas!_

"You know she's probably asleep, right?"

At that moment, her phone chimed the arrival of a text: _You're welcome. I really enjoyed spending the day with you. I told dad not to do that to your ficus._

"Right, asleep," she smirked at him.

"Well, that's a stunner." He clasped his hand together. "Okay, I think maybe you've had enough Christmas. Why don't we save the rest of the gifts til tomorrow?"

"Not a chance, Castle. You're just looking for an excuse to come back aren't ya? And it is tomorrow."

Rick looked at his watch. Sure enough it was 12:25 am. "Well, anyway, maybe I'll save these for your birthday."

"I thought the bracelet was my birthday present." He was acting so strange, her curiosity was driving her insane. "Let me open the gifts."

He shook his head slightly. "I…I think I made a mistake. I shouldn't have given you these now."

"You're taking them back? What is this Castle?" She was actually starting to get irritated. "I can't figure you out today. What gives?"

"You just seemed happy before. I'm not sure these will make you happy. I don't want to ruin it?"

"What, you stop at a porn shop last night and get me something inappropriate?" She smiled to let him know that was okay. It is what she expected.

"I wish. I wish that's what I did." His face was serious. A serious she had only seen a few times before, and only once directed at her. _My mom's case. Please tell me he didn't cross me again._ Setting her expression and putting up her guard she grabbed the gift he wouldn't let her open before.

Castle stood as she tore open the paper. Walking to the window, he could see in the reflection her lifting the lid.

"Oh, wow." It had nothing to do with her mother's case, but she could see how he might think it would put a damper on her evening. Castle put the picture of Nicole and Kate in a simple silver frame. Nicole had signed it, "To Kate, Thank you for making my Christmas super speshal! Love, Nicole."

She was stunned by the emotions she felt for this girl. She was also stunned by how un-Castle-like Castle was being. It was touching to know that the inspiration for the name had come from Nicole and not what he thought about Kate Beckett. Nikki Heat still sounded like a stripper name, but she would never frown upon it again. "I'm glad you didn't change her name."

"What?"

"I'm glad you kept Nikki Heat. I'm glad you didn't listen to me and change the name."

"Wouldn't have happened. I will do almost anything for you, Kate. But that I was sticking to. I made a promise." He chuckled softly, "Amy said the same thing you did. 'It's a stripper name.' But she didn't ask me to change it. I told her that a detective as brave and strong as my character deserved to share her daughter's name."

"So, bone marrow? You know before when I told you it might be difficult to make yourself sound good in a memoir? I might have been mistaken."

"No, you were right on target. It was a publicity stunt to get on the registry. They were trying to get people to sign up. I mean, yeah it's more difficult than giving blood, but it is something that's easily replaced. Well, my publicist said how good this would be for my image to do this public service thing. I agreed.

"No one was more surprised than I was to find out I was a match. Then it was kind of scary. There are huge needles and they dig into bone, but when I heard it was a five year old girl, well, all I could think was 'I could kill someone to save Alexis.'"

Kate cleared her throat.

"You know what I mean. I would want a stranger to do it for her. Imagine my surprise when I found out who her mother was. Amy Shepherd. That was her name back in high school. She was hot."

"Still is hot." Kate said nonchalantly, raising her eyebrows.

"Wow, detective, that's…whoa."

"Did you date?"

"No, she had a boyfriend. But I wanted to date her. I pulled her pigtails quite a bit. Until her boyfriend punched me." Kate snickered.

"Well, Beckett, you have one more. Are you willing to risk it, or do you want me to take the offending item away?"

"Offending?"

"Only because it's a Christmas present."

"I'll live dangerously. After all, I'm packin.'"

The last gift was a copy of the same comic book he had given to Nicole. The smile that took over her entire expression was impossible to contain. "I was hoping I would get one of these." She looked at him, "now you can tell Nicole she doesn't have to share. It's good you know."

"Thank you," he said softly.

Kate stood, setting the box with the comic down on the table. She took it all in, the photograph, the blanket, the mistletoe and confetti snow, the angel he put on her tree. The Santa Claus in crayon stuck on her refrigerator. A gingerbread house, a candy cane and a badass stocking with her name on it transformed her apartment to a mildly festive abode. She couldn't imagine looking back on this day with anything other than joy. Despite her musings to Lanie and Castle earlier, Kate would also bet that next year the stocking and the angel would reappear.

"I should be going." Rick Castle headed for the door, when she stopped him.

"I have one more question."

"Shoot."

"Bang." He grinned goofily at her.

"Like that did you?" she smiled at him.

"Sounds way better when you say it."

"Yeah, well," _come on Kate, spit it out_ "what…what time do I need to be there New Years' Eve?"

His eyes widened, "Really?"

"Really." They walked to the door.

"People will start showing up at 8:30, but really anytime before midnight is good."

"Okay, then. I'll be there. Until then, I guess I'll see you Monday?"

"Right—"

"Unless we have a case. Then I'll call you."

"Okay. Until to…. Okay, so that doesn't work here. See you later, Beckett."

It was so unlike him. How could he forget the mistletoe? They were standing right under it. She really should have let it go. But she couldn't. She glanced upward and then so did he. He smiled sheepishly. "Well, you know me. Always trying to get lucky."

"Well, you're not _that_ lucky." She jibed at him. "But you might be a little lucky."

Kate leaned in and kissed him softly on the lips. "Merry Christmas, Castle."

"Yes it is detective. Merry Christmas, Kate."

**A/N: If you see the hints of a song in here it's "Sending You a Little Christmas" by Jim Brickman.**


End file.
